Return to Institute Homepage Sponsors

TIAA is a unique financial partner. With an award-winning track record for consistent performance, TIAA is the leading provider of financial services in the academic, research, medical, cultural, and government fields. TIAA has $1.1 trillion in assets under management (as of June 30, 2019) and offers a wide range of financial solutions, including investing, banking, advice and guidance, and retirement services. 

Ellucian works with more than 2,500 institutions in more than 50 countries—enhancing operations and enriching the experience for over 20 million students. As a market leader in higher education technology, the Ellucian portfolio is comprehensive and built off of best practices from their community of schools as well as 50 years of experience transforming the industry landscape.

Jenzabar is higher education’s trusted advisor, offering technology solutions and services tailored to fit the evolving needs of institutions both today and in the future. The firm collaborates with clients to ensure its software and services drive performance across campus and throughout the full student life cycle. Exclusively serving higher education, more colleges and universities selected a Jenzabar student information system (SIS) over any other SIS during the past six years. 

National Management Resources Corporation was founded in 1978. National provides services exclusively to private institutions of higher learning. Services include physical plant maintenance and repair, custodial, landscape, event planning and setups, security, and construction management. National tailors its services to meet the needs and goals of the clients the company serves. With National, you can rest assured that your facilities look their best for recruitment, retention, and advancement. National helps make colleges and universities look picture perfect all of the time.

Sodexo, a leader in quality of life services, is committed to enhancing the learning environment on campus. By focusing on quality of life services, the company reinforces the overall experience of campus life, which in turn improves its partners’ effectiveness and performance. From designing meals around lifestyle needs to designing buildings for increasing enrollments, its commitment to providing students and staff a nurturing learning environment spans the entire campus experience. 

Strada Education Network is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving lives by catalyzing more direct and promising pathways between education and employment. Strada engages partners across education, nonprofits, business, and government to focus relentlessly on students’ success throughout all phases of their working lives. Together, they address critical college to career challenges through strategic philanthropy, research and insights, and mission-aligned affiliates — all focused on advancing the universal right to realized potential Strada calls Completion With a Purpose. 

ACT | NRCCUA is an educational data science platform and research organization with offices in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Boston, Massachusetts, New York City, and Austin, Texas. For 44 years, NRCCUA has been a leading provider of data, technology, and programs serving students, high school educators, colleges, and universities. These solutions represent the link between students making important life decisions and those providing the resources and information they need to succeed in their post-secondary educations and careers. 

EAB’s mission is to make education smarter and communities stronger. The firm harnesses the collective power of more than 1,500 schools, colleges, and universities to uncover and apply proven practices and transformative insights. EAB knows complex problems require multifaceted solutions, and they work with each school differently to apply these insights through a customized blend of research, technology, and services. From kindergarten to college and beyond, EAB partners with education leaders, practitioners, and staff to accelerate progress and drive results across three key areas: enrollment management, student success, and institutional operations and strategy.

Johnson, Grossnickle and Associates has taken an authentic and thoughtful approach to all aspects of strategic and philanthropic consulting for its clients since 1994. JGA focuses on the concepts of mission, strategy, and accountability that underlie the philanthropic relationship and helps clients achieve high standards. JGA's team of experienced senior consultants offer client-focused, highly customized solutions to private colleges, independent schools, and large cultural organizations in the Central United States. The full-service firm assists with capital campaigns, development audits, feasibility studies, and general fundraising counsel.

The Registry is the nation's leading firm in the interim executive space. It is the only membership-based interim placement firm, which provides a business model that preempts the need for expensive, time-consuming, and potentially disruptive open-market interim searches. Over the last quarter-century, the Registry has defined and institutionalized "best practices" for the engagement of interim executives. Now with over 800 members, the Registry is prepared to respond to the interim needs and requirements of colleges and universities in every sector and throughout the nation. The Registry can immediately generate interim candidate pools for presidents/chancellors, all cabinet positions, and deans. Most importantly, the Registry provides the very best interim talent, and its members continue to achieve the very best results for their college and university clients.

Aramark is a campus partner for dining and facility solutions. Their innovative dining services include master planning, culinary development, venue design, catering, concessions, and residential, quick-serve and express dining concepts. Aramark's expertise extends to facilities services including maintenance, custodial, grounds, energy and engineering solutions, capital project management, and building commissioning.

Capture Higher Ed uses data and technology to attract, engage, and recruit mission-fit students. Capture leverages demographic, socio-economic, and behavioral data to deliver valuable insights for more effective and progressive student recruitment. Using an algorithmic approach, Capture maximizes meaningful engagement with prospective students at the most influential times in their decision-making journey, providing a better ROI to its partner institutions. Capture’s proprietary technology is built specifically for enrollment professionals, with real-time analytics and data visualization tools to easily monitor progress and measure the success of enrollment goals at any time. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Capture Higher Ed has served nearly 75 higher education institutions across the country, and has been recognized by Fortune as one of the greatest places to work and by Inc. 5000 as a fast-growing U.S. company. 

Collegis Education® is a strategic partner whose revenue-growth solutions help colleges and universities maximize their enrollment potential through data-rich, technology-enabled, marketing, engagement and retention services. In programs supported by Collegis Education solutions, partner institutions have realized average new-enrollment gains of 20% in just the first year of partnership. With more than two decades of experience in higher education, the Collegis team develops holistic, interconnected strategies that enable institutions to realize long-term growth in accord with their mission and values.

Credo has partnered with independent college and university presidents, cabinets, and board members around the country for more than 20 years, using a team of interdisciplinary experts to develop, research, implement, and help presidents and leadership teams go farther faster and more efficiently. Credo's expertise in this sector of the higher education marketplace allows them to understand the unique challenges independent institutions face, as well as add context to the cultural, societal, and economic pressures influencing change. Informed by a holistic approach to institutional health, Credo delivers action and results in strategic planning, campus planning, student success, enrollment, and architecture.

EFL Associates is a retained executive search firm established in 1978 with offices in Kansas City, Missouri; Denver, Colorado; and Houston, Texas. The firm offers customized search services to small and large institutions, both public and private, and has assisted more than 200 colleges and universities across the country. The firm’s consultants meet with institutional leadership to develop the list of services that would be most helpful for a particular search and then focus its efforts on fulfilling those tasks. EFL Associates’ distinctive feature is its commitment to meeting the specific needs of its clients. The consultant during the discovery phase of the project is the person who will guide the search through to successful appointment. EFL’s commitment to diversity is well above the industry average with diversity placements in 2015 exceeding 60 percent. The firm’s goal is to provide an efficient and effective process for its client institutions. 

EVERFI for the past 15 years has been a national leader in online prevention and compliance training for over 1,700 colleges and universities. EVERFI’s mission in higher education is to support campuses in driving lasting, large-scale change on critical health and safety issues, including sexual assault, high-risk drinking, substance abuse, harassment and discrimination, diversity and inclusion, and more. Over 8 million college students and employees will participate in EVERFI courses this year. 

Gonser Gerber LLP understands that each university or college is unique. The firm takes time to get to know the president and other institutional leaders to understand each institution’s particular opportunities and challenges. Gonser Gerber is based on forming individually crafted relationships. Gonser Gerber, founded in 1950, is the nation’s first advancement consulting firm serving higher education institutions. The firm’s services have provided more than 800 clients with innovative solutions, improved philanthropic performance, and campaign goals achieved.

Hastings+Chivetta Architects, Inc. practices the firm’s mission statement every day, “Building clients, not just projects.” Over 80 percent of their projects are on a repeat or referral basis for higher education clients throughout the nation. For a half-century, the dedicated staff has participated in the master planning, design, and construction of every campus project type from science to athletics. From this experience they have gained a deep understanding of what campus leaders require to deliver projects that instill pride in past and future graduates. Hastings+Chivetta is committed to planning and designing facilities that meet each client’s unique requirements. The firm is recognized as a steward of sustainable design that supports its clients’ missions. Hastings+Chivetta is proud to have worked with over 70 CIC institutions in their 58-year history. 

Metz Culinary Management is a family-driven company that collaborates with its clients to deliver restaurant-inspired hospitality to each and every guest since 1994. By taking the time to learn the needs of those we serve, Metz Culinary Management provides unsurpassed service that exceeds the needs of our guests. In 2019, Food Management Magazine named Metz the Top 13 Management Company in the U.S. and one of the Top 8 Risers.

Orbis Education solves health care workforce shortages by creating collaborative partnerships between educators and employers. Orbis partnerships combine the university’s academic expertise, the health care provider’s clinical expertise, and the company’s own substantial program management expertise to drive transformative enrollment growth without sacrificing academic quality. Orbis specializes in managing degree programs for high-demand health care fields, such as nursing and occupational therapy, which also have a significant clinical education component. The company helps academic partners remove the typical barriers to enrollment growth, from lack of capital to constrained faculty resources to the challenge of securing and managing clinical placements. The result is a health care program that attracts quality students, creates more high-quality practitioners to meet employer demand, and provides a sustainable incremental revenue stream for the institution. 

The Learning House, Inc. helps people improve their lives through education. The academic program manager offers a full suite of education services, including Online Program Management, Corporate Solutions, The Software Guild, Learning House International, and Advancement Courses. Built on a foundation of data-driven decision making, thorough market research, and robust technology services, Learning House is focused on delivering high-quality, relevant, timely education services to meet the needs of a dynamic, global market. Through its partnerships, Learning House helps universities acquire more students, produce more graduates, and deliver better outcomes while helping companies attract, develop, and retain a happier, more skilled workforce. 

Yaffe & Company, Inc. can help where boards and executive teams interface, and where data and relationships intersect. The firm’s team is comprised of former presidents of prestigious colleges and universities, and has four decades of experience in helping institutions to thrive and grow. Yaffe & Company are experts in the areas of board effectiveness, executive compensation contracts and performance, IRS compliance, goal-setting and performance evaluation, retirement and retention plan design, succession planning, leadership development, and presidential transition. With the firm’s guidance, the institution’s entire team will have constructive conversations that lead to greater clarity, meaningful outcomes, and positive growth. 

AGB Search, LLC focuses exclusively on higher education leadership. The firm identifies interim appointments to preserve continuity, offers full search services to help institutions navigate the hiring process, provides transition assistance to set up leaders for long-term success, and offers compensation evaluation services to assess fair, competitive salaries. Each member of the consulting team brings years of experience as a higher education leader to the firm. AGB Search not only understands the demands of leadership, but also is deeply invested in supporting the next generation of leaders. 

Art & Science Group offers market-informed strategy to higher education institutions, independent schools, and the nonprofit sector. Since its founding in 1994, the firm has provided its clients with strategic market research and recommendations, built on a foundation of both creative thinking and empirical rigor—art and science. The Group works in a variety of arenas, leveraging a foundation of market data, analysis, and inventive ideas, to guide and advance institutions’ strategic interests and critical investments. The firm is dedicated to helping each institution position itself in ways that positively affect the decisions of its key constituents in the institution’s favor. The Group provides a customized and collaborative approach for each client, with recommendations rooted in sophisticated research and thorough analysis. 

Asset Strategy Consultants has been providing independent investment consulting services to endowments, foundations, retirement plans, and operating reserves for 28 years. With a long history of supporting educational clients, ASC can service both Endowment Portfolios as well as 403(b) Plans for Higher-Ed. ASC’s thoughtful approach to investing helps manage risk and responsibility for institutions while achieving their individual investment needs and spending goals. ASC has been deemed a “preferred vendor” with TIAA and actively works in conjunction to convert and grow 403(b) Plans, educate participants, and ensure DOL compliance. Headquartered in Baltimore, ASC has over $9.8 billion under advisement throughout their six offices.

AVI Foodsystems, Inc. is a family-owned and operated foodservice company founded by John Payiavlas in 1960. His son Anthony now serves as CEO and president, continuing his father’s tradition of responsible and sustained growth serving leading education, business, healthcare, and leisure and entertainment institutions across the United States and Canada. Today, AVI Foodsystems is the largest family-owned foodservice company in the United States with over $800 million in revenue. The firm has always been driven by core values that define who they are and how they act: integrity. excellence. innovation. relationships. sensitivity toward people. sensitivity toward society. family. passion. customer and guest focus. and accountability.

Casagrande Consulting, LLC is a boutique firm focused on providing insight into institutional, board, leadership, and compensation effectiveness to institutions of higher education. The firm has provided insight to more than 50 institutions since its launch in 2009. 

Creative Communication Associates (CCA) is a full-service marketing communications and branding agency, specializing exclusively in higher education. From the Ivy League to large public universities to small private colleges to specialty schools, CCA’s nearly 30 years of strategic and creative expertise has built some of the best brands in higher education today. 

Derck & Edson, LLC‘s commitment to higher education is demonstrated through their numerous planning, enhancement, and athletics projects on campuses throughout the United States. The firm’s expertise is demonstrated by the lasting, positive impressions that their work leaves on college and university campuses. Since 1940, the company has been transforming campuses through planning, design, and implementation services that meet the needs of colleges and universities, including: feasibility studies, master planning, athletic facilities design, implementation services, engineering, GIS services, architectural services, site design, circulation solutions, construction observation, inventory and analysis, and identity enhancement. 

Dynamic Campus provides a proven blend of managed IT services, on-demand technical capabilities, and a vendor-agnostic approach to help colleges and universities maximize the performance of their existing technology investments and IT support teams.

EIIA is a nonprofit member-driven consortium, committed to protecting the assets and reputation of private, faith-inspired institutions of higher education through the delivery of innovative insurance and risk management solutions. EIIA integrates the collective wisdom of their members with industry expertise to achieve a dynamic partnership that generates extraordinary results for property & casualty, student insurance, and employee benefit programs. EIIA’s dedicated risk management team is prepared to assist in addressing the complex issues impacting campuses today. The value of EIIA lies in more than their innovative solutions. It rests in the strength of their consortium.

Hanover Research is a leading research and analytics firm that helps higher education institutions of all sizes and types tackle critical academic and administrative challenges. Hanover’s expert analysts develop a customized plan for each partner, using multiple research methodologies to deliver the insights institutions need to make informed decisions.

Hunter Global Education, LLC was established to bridge educational and relational gaps between American and Asian educational institutions and businesses. With today’s globalization, the need for honest, affordable, and reliable educational advice and assistance is growing. Institutions that once served local and regional needs are now being challenged to enter the global market, and trusted relationships are the highway on which international programs run. Students who once attended local and regional colleges and universities are venturing far from home to secure their education. Good decisions in all these areas require a sound knowledge of other cultures and countries. Hunter seeks to fill this knowledge and relationship void with its many programs and services. 

Ideas for Action is a management consulting firm. Since 1995, IFA has served higher education and nonprofit organizations by strengthening executive leadership performance, guiding thoughtful and disciplined strategic planning and dialogue, assessing and improving organizational culture, engaging faculty governing bodies to improve shared governance and faculty engagement, and providing insight, information, and actionable solutions to leaders across a variety of institutional levels. Their clients call on IFA when they want to develop leaders, define strategy, build consensus, and achieve results.

Inside Higher Ed is the online source for news, opinion, and jobs for all of higher education. Inside Higher Ed has what any administrator or faculty member, grad student, or vice president needs to thrive professionally: breaking news and feature stories, provocative daily commentary, career advice, and practical tools to advance careers. Inside Higher Ed is a top resource for those in higher education, drawing 1.5 million readers each month, making it the ideal platform to reach a large and diverse audience of influential higher education professionals. 

Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University is a programmatic and grant-making organization committed to furthering freedom of expression in higher education and the flourishing of classic liberal studies in the college curriculum. Programs such as Learn Liberty introduce undergraduate students to classical liberal ideas and writers, while grants for graduate students assist interested students in pursuing advanced degrees. Grants to faculty members support on-campus programming related to liberal education and, increasingly, freedom of expression and open inquiry. 

Miller/Cook & Associates, Inc. has been providing comprehensive enrollment management services to colleges and universities since 1989. Whether an institution’s goal is determining the extent to which its financial aid policies support its enrollment objectives, revising existing practices to more effectively and efficiently meet enrollment goals, or building a multiple-year, net-revenue model, the professionals at Miller/Cook are available to design a plan that meets an institution’s needs. While their clients’ goals have differed, Miller/Cook has met or exceeded goals at more than 90 percent of partner institutions. Miller/Cook has recently added a new associate team member – Quantum. While print media remains important, Quantum takes direct mail and publication needs to a new level with its customized and measurable smart mail and printing processes. 

mStoner, Inc. is a digital-first agency committed to tailored solutions that deliver real results. The company crafts powerful, tailored, human-centric experiences to illuminate clients’ brands and allow them to tell their unique story. mStoner connects their clients with the right audience at the right time to form right-fit relationships. The firm positions teams for improved productivity, sustainable growth, internal alignment, and proof-positive success. mStoner aims to help clients create inspired work that they are proud to show off. Since 2001, mStoner has worked with more than 350 colleges, universities, and professional schools in the U.S. and abroad.

Partners Development is a full-service real estate development firm specializing in higher education project management. The firm focuses on private, independent colleges and universities. For over forty-five years, Partners has managed facility development on campuses across the country, providing planning, design, financing, and construction of any campus capital project. Beyond traditional project management services, Partners brings significant expertise and experience conducting project feasibility analyses, exploring creative financing solutions, and leading conceptual facility development exercises.

Pioneer College Caterers is the only dining service provider catering exclusively to faith-based universities, colleges, and seminaries since 1973. The organization currently serves 48 partners in 20 states across the United States. Pioneer College Caterers is committed to each client’s success by providing outstanding food and service in every campus venue. Through these efforts they partner in recruiting, retention, student life, sustainability, financial success, and spiritual mission.

Spelman Johnson is a premier executive search firm exclusively serving higher education. Recruiting talented leaders, Spelman Johnson’s success is strengthened by their deep and diverse relationships and their investment in the development of a leadership pipeline.

Stamats allies with colleges and universities on a mission. The firm helps institutional leaders dream, strategize, articulate, and implement, from strategic planning through market research and creative communications across all channels. 

Stevens Strategy, LLC is a full-service consulting firm specializing in managing the process of strategic change in colleges, universities, and schools. The firm offers professional services to the leaders of these institutions in the following areas: institutional vision and strategy, strategic organizational leadership, market and program analytics, finance and data analytics, and institution-wide policy manual development. Stevens Strategy’s consultants have extensive experience serving colleges, universities, and schools—including positions as present and former trustees, presidents, faculty members, vice presidents, and other senior staff—each with a particular area of expertise in leadership and management. The firm’s clients include independent and public institutions from the largest universities to the smallest colleges and schools in America and throughout the world. 

The Collaborative prides itself on design solutions tailored to each client’s specific needs and context. Founded in 1973, with offices in Toledo, Ohio, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, the firm is led by six principals who are hands-on in day to day project management.  The firm’s 42-person team is broken down into functional focus areas, creating experts in the areas of design solutions and project delivery mechanics. The Collaborative’s experience includes 80+ campuses and more than 650 major higher education projects. With this benchmarking knowledge, the firm can provide guidance for translating strategic goals into physical parameters.

AGB Institutional Strategies is one of a number of consulting services offered by the Association of Governing Boards and provides institutions of higher education with operational and mission-driven strategies that help achieve renewed institutional strength. Visit the website for more information about their process, consultants, and case studies. 

BCWH collaborates with colleges and universities to assess opportunities to enhance the campus and to design and capture the full potential of an institution's resources. A college or university campus is an eco-system for learning. At every scale, a well-designed campus serves the collegiate community with an environment for interaction, discovery, creation and reflection. BCWH helps institutions achieve that goal.

Celli-Flynn Brennan Architects & Planners is a full-service architecture and planning firm located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that specializes in transforming college and university campuses. Since its founding in 1949, Celli-Flynn Brennan’s work at dozens of higher education institutions has led to national recognition in the field, and the firm’s support of CIC over the past 20 years has helped it gain an understanding of the issues facing presidential leaders on campus and beyond. The firm aims to design buildings that support institutional mission, complement the cultural landscape, and promote student recruitment and retention. The company’s portfolio includes every type of building that one would find on a college campus. 

Hyatt-Fennell, Executive Search is a highly successful national and international executive search firm. The firm includes a strong support staff and excellent senior consultants who are rich in higher education and recruitment experience. Hyatt-Fennell is well-known and respected for placing top executives with private colleges and universities. Through a partnership with its clients, Hyatt-Fennell enhances and streamlines the search process and provides a commitment to find the perfect person for each position. Hyatt-Fennell brings over 60 years of experience to the process of client-centered service.

​The Nelson Mullins School and College law team reaches across disciplines to help clients reach their goals and plan ahead. The firm provides holistic representation for clients’ legal needs. Their education law professionals serve as thought leaders, and partner with other thought leaders, to impact educational policy and advocate best practices. The firm has worked with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies and legislative bodies. They also represent clients before administrative tribunals and federal courts to achieve optimal results for their clients. Founded in 1897, Nelson Mullins today has more than 550 attorneys and other professionals located in 10 states and Washington, DC. 

RH Perry & Associates partners with institutions of higher education and other mission-driven organizations to identify outstanding leaders. Established in 1974, RH Perry’s senior consultants bring both executive-level higher education experience and search expertise to every assignment. RH Perry is committed to: 1) respecting and embracing the unique perspectives and talents of their clients, their candidates, and their team; 2) acting with integrity through honest and informed counsel; 3) promoting transparency by proactively communicating critical information and clearly articulating their best practices; 4) maintaining appropriate confidentiality throughout the search process; and 5) treating others with respect and honoring diverse life and work styles.

RHB is a marketing and design consultancy serving higher education. The firm has aided more than 125 colleges and universities in their efforts to solve branding, marketing, enrollment, and fund-raising challenges. RHB’s mission to help great causes succeed leads them to market research, strategic planning and creative implementation solutions for institutions. The firm utilizes its experience and expertise to offer informed counsel to college and university presidents regarding differentiated marketing positions, signature experiences, and revenue-generating strategies. RHB also collaborates with the Lawlor Group to generate The Survey of Independent College Presidents, available at www.higheredintelligence.com. Through RHB Insights, the firm writes about and shares its latest thoughts on higher ed marketing to provide clarity and confidence to a higher ed readership that spans the globe. 

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC is a national law firm of more than 300 lawyers with offices in Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia. The firm’s higher education team consists of attorneys from multiple disciplines who cater to the diverse legal service needs of independent colleges throughout the United States, including advice on a broad array of compliance issues and tax-exempt financing. The firm’s attorneys have held positions in higher education as in-house counsel, accountants, development officers, trustees, and faculty members, and they have extensive experience handling issues confronting multiple colleges. In short, the firm understands higher education and constantly aspires to provide cost-effective, pragmatic solutions based on that understanding. 

Ziegler provides its higher education clients with private placement structuring, capital raising, public private partnership structuring, strategic advisory services, equity and fixed-income sales and trading, for both rated and non-rated bond issues. The higher education practice complements Ziegler's other business lines in the healthcare, senior living and education sectors, allowing us to leverage our unique expertise in complex credit structures and financial advisory services. Through the practice, independent colleges and universities can learn what their competitors are doing, keep abreast of market trends, and take advantage of new financing opportunities.

Kaludis Consulting has provided strategic advice, planning support, and management solutions to more than 700 colleges and universities and related organizations since 1977. The firm’s service portfolio emphasizes strategic, academic, and business planning; institutional economics and finance; and organizational design. Kaludis Consulting provides analysis, perspective, and guidance that enable clients to gain strategic traction in their thinking, planning, and decision making. The firm’s senior consultants have served as Presidents, Provosts, Academic Deans, CFOs, and in senior staff roles in Advancement in higher education.

The Dysart Group is a higher education consulting firm specializing in admissions, financial aid, retention, pricing, and revenue growth. The firm has provided consulting services to nearly 200 colleges and universities throughout the country. The Dysart Group’s clients have been able to increase new student enrollments by as much as 70%, stabilize or reduce financial aid costs, and improve retention rates by as much as 7% in a single cycle.